The 1970s-era rock quintet Dove will reunite for a performance and to accept Hall of Fame honors during this year’s Syracuse Area Music Awards (Sammys). The announcement was made during the Feb. 6 press conference held at Eastwood’s Palace Theatre, as smooth grooves from Bobby Green and his band provided an aural backdrop in the bijou lobby jammed with local musicmakers and aficionados. 

Other inductees to the Hall of Fame include music promoter Stacey Waterman, acclaimed musician John Cadley and veteran concert production manager Maryjo Spillane. Hamilton College’s Monk Rowe has been named music educator of the year, and radio program director Dave Frisina will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award for his 40-year (and counting) celebration of local music.

The Sammys Hall of Fame dinner and induction ceremony will be held Thursday, March 1, 7 to 10 p.m., at Upstairs at the Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, 246 W. Willow St. Tickets are $25 and available at
syracuseareamusic.com.

The Sammys bandwagon continues with the awards presentation on Friday, March 2, 7 p.m., at the Palace, 2384 James St. Awards in 14 recording categories will be handed out between live performances that will feature Dove, the Merry Pranksters, Elephant Mountain, Professional Victims and Count Blastula. There will also be people’s choice awards for best band, venue and music festival, and the Brian Bourke Award for best new artist. Tickets are $20, available at Armory Square’s Sound Garden and at syracuseareamusic.com. 

Best Pop

All Poets & Heroes, Where We Lived
and What We Lived For

Bea, Old Habits

Sera Bullis, The Road to Marcellus

Ben Mauro, Good Day

Nate, Summer is the Cure

Best Jazz

E.S.P., Zero Gravity

Tim Herron, Thinquisition

Robert Holz, Visions: Coast to Coast Connection

Peter Allen Alt Jazz, It Was Just
About That Time

Best Hip Hop/Rap

Steve Cook, M.I.D. Twenties

Seth Dollar, Vanity

Suppa Satty, Who You Thought It Was?

Sophistafunk, Real Vibration

Wigs, No Turning Back

Best Americana

Harmonic Dirt, Anthracite

Austin MacRae, Keeper

The Region Legion with Ruddy Well Band, Common Ground Benefit:
In My Father’s Kitchen

Mark Wahl, Circadia

Jane Zell, Almost Real

Best Alternative

The Action!, 5

Against The Giants, Harden Your Heart

Goodnight Forever, Dim Lit Motivation

Mattydale Music Collective, Dreamwyld

Phantom Chemistry, Everything’s Great

Best Rock

The Alpha Fire, Embers

Flashcubes, Forever

Tommy Gunn, Talk of the Town

Jess Novak Band, Fireworks

The Penetrators, Legacy

Best Hard Rock

Between Hope and Fear, With the Water

Breaking Solace, The Stand

Ecliptic Vision, Omphalos of the Void

Jeremiah’s Razor, Jeremiah’s Razor

Sampere, World of Illusion EP

Best Other Style

Answer the Muse, Now

A Cast of Thousands, The Fifth

Leo Crandall, The Art of Swimming

John Harris, Wake the Dead

Harriet Tubman Freedom Music Festival, Music for Freedom: Harriet Tubman Freedom Music Festival Live!, Volume 2

Best Jam Band

Barroom Philosophers, Barroom
Philosophers

Chris Eves & the New Normal,
Find Your Way

Late Earth, The Prevail

John McConnell, By Design

Old Deer Ensemble, Festival

Best Singer-Songwriter

Cam Caruso, On the Other Side

Alex Gideon, Know Different Than Before

Sydey Irving, Hello Stranger

Amanda Rogers, Heavy Blue

J. Schnitt, How to Be Happy About the End of the World

Best Blues

Bad Mama’s Blues Band, There Goes
the Rent

Matthew Black and the Blues Dragons, S/T

Moon Dog Howlers, One Track Mind

Best R & B

Diana Jacobs Band, Good Metticine

Kings of the Fall, The Ascension

Skunk City, Sparked

Best Country

Floodwood, Till I Die

Matt Dunn Band, I Am This Road

Best Electronica

Leper Pony, White Savior

Man Woman Machine, Ultra-Xenosonic

Mazedude, American Pixels

Photos courtesy of staff photographer Michael Davis: 

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